Torn Apart
by Miss Hal Gibson
Summary: When Dave is killed and the boys are separated for good, will they be able to find one another before it's too late? AxB SxJ TxE
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hi there! I'm redoing a story I published a while ago, but nobody read, due to popular demand. It's completely re-written. The situation is pretty much revealed throughout the chapters, so I don't need to explain or have an epilogue like I did last time. The Chipmunks and Chipettes are 15 in this story.**_  
_

**The Chipmunks and Chipettes and all related characters belong to Ross Bagdasarian and Janice Karman. I own nothing except the minor background characters in this story. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

_Click. Clack. Click. Clack._ Theodore Gables, formerly Seville, had lost track of how long he'd been sitting in front of his computer, searching for answers.

The clock on his wall told him that it was now 1 AM, but it felt much later. His tired eyes scanned the search results, hoping for something, anything, that would lead him to the two people he was so desperately searching for: his brothers.

* * *

They were only ten years old when their adoptive father was killed and they were ripped away from one another. He hadn't heard from either of his brothers since.

Theodore was always the naive, innocent one. That experience had left him with his first glimpse of how unfair the world really was outside of the little shelter that he had spent his childhood in.

It was five years later, now, and he knew he was one of the lucky ones. He had quickly found a family that loved and cared for him, although he'd trade them for his older brother's in a heart-beat.

* * *

Theodore had been adopted by a middle-aged couple that, for over a decade, had tried and tried to have a child of their own.

They treated the chipmunk as if he were heaven-sent, and he adored them. He was so very thankful that he wasn't adopted by cruel, abusive parents like he had heard about on the news.

* * *

He called them "mom" and "dad". The concept was quite foreign and strange for him; Dave had raised him since he was very young, and he had not once called him "dad'.

The names made him feel almost as if he was betraying the man who had raised him throughout childhood. But his new parents would be sad if he called them by any other name. They would most likely understand his reasoning behind it, but, being the sweetheart he was, he still didn't want to upset them.

* * *

Theodore groaned as he looked up at the monitor on his desk. Nothing. That's what he usually found. Occasionally something of interest would pop up.

He continued his searching, despite the morning hours creeping up on him and his subconscious telling him the search was in vain.

This time he found something. It was a video titled _"The Chipmunks Last Concert"_.

Theodore pressed play, absentmindedly reaching his hand down into his bag of Ruffles potato chips and munching on the tasty snack.

His eyes began to tear up at what he saw. It was indeed he and his brothers' last concert before their father's life was taken so abruptly. They were on stage in the video, singing their little hearts out.

The lights, the cheering, the atmosphere…it brought it all back and made Theodore miss his older brothers even more than ever.

The chubby little chipmunk bit his lip and sniffled as he felt tears roll down his cheeks. He lay his head down on his desk and let out a small sob. He had to find them, he just had to. He needed them now more than he ever had when they were younger.

* * *

When the video was over Theodore climbed onto his bed and grabbed his teddy bear. Teddy was pretty much all he had taken with him when he was adopted, so he was all that was left of his childhood. He treasured the tattered old bear even more than he did when he was 8 years old.

Theodore's head hit the pillow, he clutched his Teddy tightly, and drifted off into a deep sleep.

* * *

He awoke 5 hours later to the sound of the answering machine beeping. He decided that whoever it was could leave a message.

_Beep._ "Hey, Theo, it's Eleanor. I guess I should have waited until I knew you'd be up. Anyway, a new family just moved into town, and they have a teenage son. I heard a rumor that his name was Alvin, and-"

Theodore had the phone to his ear in a heartbeat. "Ellie?"

"Oh! Good, you answered." He could hear the smile in the Chipette's voice.

"W-what were you saying?" He gripped the phone.

"Someone who might be named Alvin just moved here."

Theodore's face lit up. "D-do you think it's really him?"

"It might be!" Eleanor's voice suddenly became serious. "But don't get your hopes up, okay?"

"O-okay."

"I'll try to see if it's him as soon as I can, okay? Right now I have to baby-sit."

"Okay! Bye, Ellie!"

"Bye!"

* * *

Eleanor hung up and smiled to herself. She was so glad that Theodore had finally gotten in contact with her. She just wished that he could find Alvin and Simon. She'd give up contact with him completely if it would give him the chance to, even just once, see his brothers again.

It was a miracle that he'd found her, really. He had started searching for any sign of any of his childhood friends or bothers as soon as he hit thirteen.

Theodore was never really the kind of person to thrust himself so hard into something, to dedicate so much time to one thing. He was the type who would normally just hope that someone else would do it instead. The one who stood on the sidelines while everyone else played the game.

Maybe Simon and Alvin had been looking for him too. Maybe they just were unsuccessful, just like Theodore had been.

* * *

Eleanor bit her lip as she remembered the traumatic even that had taken her childhood friends' father away from them forever.

Theodore didn't like talking about it. He had put the reason for his father's passing entirely out of his mind. Eleanor wasn't even sure he remembered exactly what had happened.

But she remembered it very well. She and hers sisters were having dinner with the boys. Dave had gotten himself a glass of water while all the kids drank soda.

Somehow, and she didn't know exactly how or what it was, one of the chemicals from Simon's laboratory had gotten mixed in with the water supply.

Dave didn't last long. For months, when she closed her eyes, she would see his body writhing on the floor, while she heard the other children's screams as they watched the only father figure they ever had die a painful death.

She couldn't imagine how much it had affected the boys.

They were taken into the custody of the state soon after Dave's death. No one could get in contact with Vinny, and their grandparents on Dave's side had since passed.

The Chipettes didn't even get the chance to say goodbye.

* * *

Eleanor and her sisters had hoped and prayed that they would be able to stay together, but they knew how unlikely it was that someone would want three children at once.

After all, they had been in a similar situation before Alvin had introduced them to Miss Miller. They knew how the system worked, and it was corrupt.

Blood didn't matter, if was all a matter of luck. You stayed together if you got lucky, but they wouldn't even give a second thought to tearing you apart.

The girls were very sad when they finally found out that their closest friends no longer had one another, especially at the times they needed each other the most.

But maybe, hopefully, they would help them to be reunited once more.

* * *

**I'm not satisfied with this chapter at all. Theodore is so hard for me to write...anyway, I'm hoping I actually get reviews this time around. Thank you for reading! **


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I'm being rushed to post this by a Miss Bratty Hayes, so no AN this time!  
Disclaimer: As the summary states, this is an original couples fanfic. Any mixed couple type things appear are purely accidental. **

* * *

"Is that the last box?" An overweight woman in her late thirties with a very obnoxious voice yelled.

"Yes, Linda, it's the last damn box!" A boy in a red cap called back. He spoke in an equally obnoxious, almost mocking tone.

The boy slammed the box down onto the hard wood floor of the still nearly empty house, not caring it he broke the contents inside.

He found it hard to believe they had been there nearly three weeks and still hadn't unpacked. They didn't have _that _much crap.

* * *

The boy reached up to adjust his cap, only to find that it was no longer there. His eyes narrowed and he whipped his body around to face the other direction.

"Lari! Shari! What the hell did you do with my cap?" He directed his voice at the two little twin girls that ran, giggling, across the room.

"Come get it, Alvin!" The eldest of the two, Lari, grinned, before pulling said item out from behind her back.

Alvin let out a low growl. He wasn't in the mood for this. "You little brats! Give it back!" He chased after his 8-year old foster sisters and took his baseball cap from their grubby little hands.

* * *

He knew he shouldn't hate a child, but these two were as close to being hated as any child could possibly be.

They were twins, and that alone annoyed him. They stayed together while he and his brothers were apart.

When they weren't teaming up against him, they were fighting and each trying to convince him to take their side. It was an endless cycle, and he hated it.

He had to admit that this place was better than some of this previous homes. He had been thrown from home to home the past few years, eventually losing count of how many families he lived with.

No one wanted him to stay with them very long because the was such a trouble maker. The years had not matured him in the least bit, if anything, he caused more trouble now than he had as a young child.

* * *

"ALVIIIIN!" Alvin cringed. That nasty woman was calling his name again. The way she said it reminded him of his late father. It really hurt to have his name called that way by anyone but Dave.

"Whaaat?" he snarled. He sat down on the plush sofa that was one of the few things that sat in their tiny living room and sank back into the cushions. That bitch better not be asking him to go run around and do her errands _again. _

"ALVIIIIIN!"

"I said what!" Alvin got up and stomped his way into the kitchen where the woman was, his eyes narrowed and his arms crossed. He leaned against the door frame and glared at her, his blue eyes darkened with anger.

"Go to town and buy me some more sugar." She wiped her dirty hands on her apron. "Take the girls with you, Bob and I need some time _alone." _The overweight woman fluffed her hair with her still dirty hand and Alvin gagged.

Instead of arguing like he normally would, Alvin grabbed his house keys off the counter and walked out the back door. The twins were in the yard already, so he gave them a very familiar look that they knew quite well. It was the "They're at it again." look. The girls rushed to his side immediately.

"Where is she sending us off to today, Alvie?" Shari asked, her little red pigtails bouncing as she walked.

"Grocery store. Sugar." Alvin rolled his eyes as he twirled the keys around his finger.

* * *

The walk to the grocery store was pretty silent, other than the occasionally bickering between the little girls that had started to trail a bit behind Alvin. He didn't pay much attention to what either of them were saying, that is until he heard something that came to him as a bit of a surprise.

"Look, Alvie, a girl chipmunk!" Shari had shouted, pointing to the other side of the road.

The person Alvin saw there made his mouth drop and his eyes go wide. Standing there, on the other side of the street, was none other than Jeanette Miller.

"She looks like a nerd." Lari said, straightening her glasses and sticking up her nose.

"Ha! Takes one to know one!" Shari said, smirking and crossing her thin arms.

* * *

Alvin stopped paying attention to them. He was already walking across the street. He couldn't believe it. The Chipettes were here? In this town? How had he not seen them at school? He'd lived here for three weeks already.

Jeanette was bending down and picking up the library books that had spilled out of her hands. There were far too many, and her arms couldn't hold them all. The fact that she was so clumsy wasn't helping much, either.

Before she could get all of them picked up someone picked several of them up for her. She burrowed her eyebrows in confusion before looking up at her helper. Her eyes widened. "A-Alvin?"

"Long time no see." He smirked. Jeanette couldn't believe her eyes. Eleanor was right in her predictions! The new kid in town _was _Alvin! Brittany would be thrilled!

Jeanette smiled. "Alvin!" He handed her the books she had dropped. "I can't believe it's really you!"

"In the flesh!" He grinned wider. "I had no idea that you guys lived here! How haven't I seen you at school?"

"Eleanor and I go to a private school now." She adjusted the books in her arms. "And Brittany…she...she dropped out."

Alvin looked surprised, but didn't question the reason behind Brittany quitting school. Jeanette was glad, because she didn't want to go into explaining.

"So how is she?" The boy asked. If Jeanette had seen him in the past few years she would know that this was very out of character for him, as he no longer cared at all about anyone but himself, even less than he had as a child.

"S-she's doing good." Jeanette's smile quivered a bit.

"Does she miss me? Does she?" Alvin's tone made Jeanette feel bad that she wasn't telling him everything, but she was sure Brittany would rather tell him herself. She wasn't the best with these things.

"She misses you very much. She's been wanting to see you again for a long time." Jeanette's eyes widened. "Oh! Alvin, Eleanor got in contact with Theodore! He'll want to talk to you too!"

Alvin's eyes grew wide and a huge grin spread across his face. "Really? Does he live here too?"

Jeanette's smile fell. "Unfortunately not. He lives a few states away…"

"Oh…"

"But I'm sure when he finds out you're here he'll definitely come for a visit!"

Alvin was about to respond when the twins sauntered over to where he and Jeanette were standing and grabbed onto his arms.

"Alvie's got a _girlfriend._" Shari teased as she held onto her foster brother.

Jeanette smiled at the children. "Hello. What are your names?"

Lari stepped up and adjusted her thin black framed glasses. "My name is Lari, and this is my sister, Shari. We're twins."

"I can see that." Jeanette adjusted her own pink-framed glasses out of habit. "I'm Jeanette, Alvin's friend from when we were kids."

"Why would Alvin be friends with you? You're so nerdy looking and your shirt is _way_ too big."

The Chipette looked somewhat hurt, but kept smiling anyway. She looked back up at Alvin. "I'm sure Brittany would love to see you. She's home now."

Alvin grinned once more. "She is?"

"Yep! But you might want to take your sisters home first."

"Not my sisters…FOSTER sisters." He glared at the girls that were only an inch or two shorter than he was, despite being nearly half his age.

"Right. Foster sisters. I'll walk with you so we can go and see Brittany afterwards, okay?"

"Great!"

"Alvie, I don't wanna go home!" Shari whined, a small pout on her face. She looked up at Alvin with big blue eyes.

"Yeah! What about the sugar? What about Linda and Bob?" Lari said from his other side.

Alvin sighed. "You act like I give a shit about the sugar or whatever the hell Linda and Bob do when they send us out."

Jeanette was appalled at Alvin's language. He was using curse words in front of children! She was tempted to fuss at him for it, but decided not to. He'd been through enough, so she couldn't blame him.

* * *

Alvin and Jeanette walked Lari and Shari back home, despite the complaints they made. When they walked in the front door Alvin said he'd just be a minute, that he had something he needed to get and bring with him.

Jeanette didn't know what it was, but she had a sneaking suspicion it was a gift for Brittany. Brittany had taken it pretty hard when the boys were taken away, despite her constant bickering with Alvin and pretending that she hated him. Everyone could see through that.

Her sisters both knew that she actually really loved him. If only he had shown up sooner.

Alvin ran up the stairs to his bedroom. He'd never been this happy to go into his cramped, tiny bedroom in his life. He'd been saving this for years, to give to the girl of his dreams.

When Alvin arrived in his bedroom he noticed that he'd left the TV on. It was turned to a news station. Bob must have been in here, he was the only one here who gave a shit about the news.

* * *

Alvin groaned and reached to turn off the TV, but the picture on the screen caught his attention. _No…it couldn't be…._

"_Teenager almost beaten to death released back into custody of parents. It is rumored that the parents have paid a large sum of money to keep people quiet, but news of it has gotten out anyway. The name of the child and parents are unknown, but if you recognize this boy please call the authorities immediately."_

The picture was blurry. To someone who didn't know the face of the person in the photograph so well it would appear a complete blur. But there was no mistaking that face. There was no mistaking those eyes.

* * *

**Sorry if there is any typos, as I said, SOMEONE is rushing me. Thanks for reading! **


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Hey everyone! I'm extremely happy with the amount of reviews I've gotten for this! I've never had a story get so popular so fast, and that makes me really, really happy. So thank you guys SO much! Special thanks to brattyhayes and SimonSeville27 for being the best friends ever and supporting me while I write this(and rushing me super fast to get it done xD).  
I'm not too satisfied with this chapter. I think Brittany is a bit out of character. Thanks for reading!****  
**

**AS I SAID IN THE LAST CHAPTER, ANY MIXED COUPLE(GAG) THINGS THAT MAY APPEAR IN THIS ARE PURELY ACCIDENTAL AND THIS STORY FEATURES ONLY CANON PAIRINGS KTHXBYE.  
**

* * *

It was official, the law was even more corrupt than he had previously thought.

Simon sighed and wrapped another layer of gauze around his arm. They usually picked places that could be easily hidden by his clothing, so that nobody would notice.

They had obviously been slipping, though, considering the fact that his teachers had finally started to notice the cuts and bruises that littered his entire body.

The chipmunk shifted himself to where he was facing the mirror from his position on the countertop. Another black eye. How was he going to explain _that_ to his teachers?

Simon sighed once more. He had almost gotten out of here. He was so close. Being left so battered and bloody would have been completely worth it if he didn't have to see these people again.

But of course, his wealthy adoptive parents got him back, they had made sure of that.

The fact that they were able to get past the law due to their money made Simon indescribably angry.

He just couldn't believe that he would so easily be put him back in such a dangerous situation, just for the authorities to get handed some extra cash.

* * *

The past five years were incredibly difficult for Simon. It took a long time for him to come to terms with the fact that Dave's death was mostly, if not entirely, his fault.

He never forgave himself for that. He felt as if, perhaps, the pain his adoptive parents inflicted on him on a daily basis was his punishment. It was his punishment for ruining his own life and the lives of five other people.

He had stopped entirely with the experiments, as if he had a choice. His oh-so-caring caretakers would only allow him to do work that would be seen by the public eye. Simon was their little badge, and they wore him with pride.

When they adopted him they made it very clear that they only wanted him for his brains. They wanted a perfect child prodigy that would bring them even more fame and fortune than they already had.

He had to be perfect. If perfection required beating him to death in the process, so be it.

If he made less than absolutely perfect test scores he was punished. If he got off task and was caught doing something that wouldn't further his knowledge of the world, he was punished. If he cried or complained about the treatment, he was punished.

It had been that way for five years. Simon didn't even feel like a person anymore. He hadn't been treated as such in a long, long while, after all.

* * *

He needed to get away for a while, to go to his only sanctuary: the public library. All of the books it held within its spacious walls were also within the private library at his house, but it was the perfect educational excuse to spend an hour or two away from this godforsaken hellhole.

Simon climbed down onto the step-stool he used to get up onto the counter top, grabbed his house keys, and headed out the door.

* * *

Saturday was Brittany Miller's favorite day to go window shopping. It was usually perfect, she could go alone without any distractions.

But not today. Eleanor just _had _to have soccer practice today, and Jeanette just _had _go to waste away at the library. She swore that girl was going to forget to come home and get locked in there and starve to death one day, all because she buried her face in some book.

So she wasn't alone. She actually had to push around that gigantic stroller that was taller than she was. She really needed to remind Miss Miller to buy her a shorter one.

People always gave her funny looks when she walked around like this. Perhaps it was because she was only three and a half feet tall, and was pushing a baby in a stroller around by herself, she didn't know.

* * *

She had pretty much stopped caring what people actually thought of her when she had gotten pregnant during her freshman year of high school. She still made herself beautiful, of course, but that came naturally.

People called her a slut before she was pregnant, and it didn't get any worse afterwards.

She wasn't miserable, she loved her baby. He was nearing eight months old. He was a half-human, half-chipmunk baby, and as strange as that was, he was cute. He had her little button nose and was covered with a thin layer of fur, but he also had a sprig of darker colored hair on his head. He was a tad bit bigger than a fully chipmunk baby would be.

* * *

Brittany adjusted the shade on the stroller. She'd have to cut her trip short, babies and the hot California sun didn't quite mix.

First, she decided, she would check to see if Jeanette was still at the library. If she was, then Brittany could probably convince her to walk home with her.

The pink-clad Chipette was nearly to her destination when she spotted a familiar figure in the distance. She gasped.

* * *

Simon was merely a few feet from the entrance to his sanctuary when he heard someone shout his name and felt a pair of arms pull him into a tight embrace from behind.

"W-wha-?"

"Simon! OMG! I can't believe it!" Said the attacker.

"_Did she just say 'OMG!'?" _Simon cringed. He really wished he could turn around and see who this person was.

It didn't seem like she was going to let go anytime soon, so he tried placing the voice of the girl that still hadn't stopped her continuous blabbing. It took a minute, but he was able to recognize her.

"B-Brittany?"

She pulled back and allowed him to turn around. The Chipette had a huge grin on her perfectly made-up face. Simon was in shock. The Chipettes were here. They were here. In this town.

* * *

Simon didn't say a word. Brittany appeared as though she were waiting for him to talk, but after over two minutes of silence, she allowed herself to break it. "Theodore is going to be _so _happy! And Jeanette! She misses you so much!"

"Theodore?" The girls were able to reach Theodore? Theodore had to hate him now. He just had to. He took his father away, so he had to hate him.

"Yes, Theodore. What is wrong with you?" Brittany cocked an eyebrow. "Why are you only saying one word at a time?" She put her hands on her hips.

"Uh...s-sorry. You said something about Theodore?"

"Yeah! He found Ellie online a few years ago and they've been pen pals since then. He was gonna come and visit soon, but I think he'll wanna come even sooner now that you're here!"

Simon gulped nervously. "He…he doesn't hate me, does he?"

Brittany's mouth went agape for a moment and she let her hands fall from her hips. "Why would he…? Oh…" She sighed. "Simon, you know that's all in the…in the past…and nobody blames you…" Simon didn't respond. Brittany sighed again. "We've all really missed you, especially Jeanette." She smiled.

Simon let himself smile a bit. "Really?"

"Yep! Oh!" Brittany turned around, reaching down into the stroller that Simon had failed to notice before. She pulled a baby out of the stroller and Simon's eyes widened.

She put the baby in Simon's arms. He stared down at it, as he'd never held a baby before. "Uh…"

"Simon, meet Alvin Jr." She pinched the baby's cheek. "This is your uncle Simon." Brittany cooed.

_Uncle…? Alvin Jr.? _"Uh…Brittany?"

"He's my baby. He's half human, but…I named him after Alvin…" She stared at the ground for a moment. She smiled again and looked back up. "I really hope he can meet him one day."

Simon nodded. He wasn't quite sure what to say at this point. Brittany put the baby back in his stroller and grabbed Simon by the arm. "Come on! You can come see them right now!"

Simon pulled his arm away. "I can't!" He wanted to visit them, he really did. His parents would kill him if he did, though.

Brittany narrowed her eyes. "And why not?"

* * *

Simon started to sweat. He couldn't tell her about his home life. Nobody could know, it would cause even more trouble. "I..I…" The chipmunk turned around, and he ran. He ran as fast as he could possibly go. Brittany wouldn't be able to keep up with him, since she had her baby with her. He could escape.

"Simon! Where the hell are you going?" Her voice had become distant now, but Simon still didn't stop running. He didn't stop until he reached the front porch of the house that he hated.

He sat on the large staircase outside the mansion doors, panting. He wasn't used to this much exercise, so he was having an extremely difficult time catching his breath.

* * *

He had to think about this rationally. He wanted to go see The Chipettes. He wanted to be able to get in contact with Theodore again. He wanted all of that so very much.

But he was trained. Simon had been molded by his new parents to do everything they wanted. If he didn't, there were consequences. He knew they would never let him go visit his friends.

He was absolutely terrified. Now he had lost his chance forever. Having a random meeting like that might never happen again, he might never get to speak to any of the girls again, or, more importantly, either of his brothers.

* * *

Simon sighed and stared at the ground. He had no idea what he could do now. His fear had cost him something dear.

He was about to stand up and go inside when he noticed something written on his hand. It was a phone number, scrawled in messy, hurried handwriting with "Britt" up under it. When had she written that there? He never noticed…

Maybe there was hope. There was still a bigger problem, however: His parents.

Simon let out another watery sigh and buried his head in his palms. For the first time in his life, Simon "Seville" had no idea what to do.

* * *

**As I said, not satisfied...I felt like the sentences were too short in this one and I said "he" too many times. :( Oh well. Thank you for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Sorry for the bit of a delay on this chapter, and also for the length. The next chapter should be out very soon and continues on from this one. Thank you fo reading!**

* * *

"Jeanette! Jeanette!" Alvin ran down the stairs as fast as he could. He couldn't believe it. That was Simon on the TV. Beaten by his own adoptive parents. The thought made Alvin sick to his stomach.

"What is it, Alvin? Are you ready to go?" Jeanette said from her position on the couch.

Alvin raced over to her. "I just saw Simon on TV, Jeanette! He was on the news for being beaten by his parents!"

Jeanette's eyes widened. "Alvin, do you have a computer?"

Alvin raised an eyebrow. "No, why?"

"We need to research this further." She grabbed Alvin by the arm and pulled him out the door. "Come on."

* * *

Alvin hadn't seen Jeanette in years, but he hadn't seen her this determined before, ever. He knew her motivation, though. Simon was in danger, and Jeanette cared deeply for Simon.

Alvin was very angry at the fact that someone could possibly do this to his poor younger brother. Simon had been his best friend, and even if they never did get along, he had promised that he would _never _let anyone hurt his little brothers.

He had broken that promise. He had failed. He couldn't be there to protect him, and now Simon was hurt and back in the hands of those who had hurt him.

* * *

They ran. Jeanette ran as fast as her legs would take her without tripping over her own two feet, and Alvin trailed behind her. He could have easily ran twice as fast as she was, but he needed her to lead the way. They needed to be quick, they needed to hurry.

They finally reached the large home that housed the Miller girls and their guardian, Miss Miller, without even taking a break. Jeanette banged on the door after finding it was locked, and when nobody came to open it after mere seconds, she fished in her pocket for the key.

Eleanor came to the door before Jeanette had the chance to even get the key into the lock, and when she opened it she had the shock of her life. Alvin was standing there with her older sister.

"Alvin?" Eleanor's jaw dropped.

Jeanette pushed past her sister, which was uncharacteristically rude for her. "Sorry Ellie! No time to explain, I need to use the computer!"

Eleanor was, needless to say, confused. She looked to where Alvin had been, but found he was no longer there. He had pushed in behind Jeanette.

* * *

Jeanette shot up the stairs to the her bedroom and grabbed her laptop computer off of her bed. She quickly pulled up the news reports for that day.

Alvin paced back and forth across the blue carpet that covered the bedroom floor, thinking. Every other minute he would say "Find anything yet?". The answer was always no. Always.

It seemed as though hours passed, although it could have been a few minutes. Eleanor would come up from downstairs every few minutes and ask what was going on, only to be answered by silence. They were too caught up in whatever was going on to answer her, she wasn't even sure if they heard her. Whatever this was, it was important.

Eleanor was sitting on the couch when Brittany walked in the front door, sunglasses perched on her little pink button nose and a baby on her hip.

"Ellie!" She set Alvin Jr. down in his playpen and ran over to her youngest sister. "Guess who I saw in town!"

Eleanor crinkled her nose. "Alvin?"

Brittany frowned deeply. "You know that's not funny, I-"

"Brittany?" Said Chipette turned around and saw someone she never expected to see.

"Alvin?" Brittany dropped the sunglasses she now held in her hand. They stared at one another in shock for what seemed like an eternity.

* * *

Alvin looked her over. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. He wish he hadn't wasted the few years they had together picking fights. He wished he had let their friendship grow instead of pushing her away.

Brittany's eyes took in the boy that stood on the staircase. He was a little rough around the edges, and she could tell that he was even more of a troublemaker now than he was as a child just by looking at him. But boy, was he handsome. She kept staring into his entrancing blue eyes, she couldn't look away.

Alvin smirked. "Hey Britt, I know I'm hot and all, but can you stop staring and give me a hug already?" He held out his arms, and Brittany ran into them. Five years ago she wouldn't have willingly done so, but this was different. She had never thought she'd see him again, and here he was.

The red-clad chipmunk hugged her back. Even though he'd always pretended he hated Brittany, it felt so good to hold her in his arms. He pulled away. He was still worried sick about Simon, but Jeanette was doing all she could do to figure out what was going on with him right now. He had to catch up with Brittany.

The two of them sat on the stairs and talked for what seemed like hours, although it couldn't have been more than 10 minutes. They didn't even notice Eleanor watching them over the back of the couch and smiling.

* * *

Brittany had completely forgotten about what she had rushed home to tell her sisters. She also had completely forgotten to tell her counterpart about something _very _important that Alvin needed to know.

The latter was going to be discovered very, very quickly.

Alvin and Brittany's conversation was interrupted by the sounds of a baby crying. Brittany gasped and rushed over to her son, leaving a very confused Alvin behind. He looked over to Eleanor for answers, but she said nothing. She looked at him with what appeared to be sympathy, but he wasn't quite sure.

* * *

Brittany picked up the infant and cooed at him. She looked around the room. "Ellie, where is Alvin's bottle?"

Alvin's eyes widened. "What?" Brittany looked back over at him. She wasn't sure what to say. She turned and glared at her youngest sister when she heard her snickering from her position on the couch.

"Alvin…I…" She sighed. This was going to be harder than she thought. "I….this is my son, Alvin Jr."

"S-son?" Alvin couldn't believe it. Brittany was a mother? She was only fifteen! _Wait, did she say Alvin Jr.?__  
_

* * *

**I can't help but feel as though this chapter isn't nearly as well written as the last three. :( Oh well. I'm hoping it is enjoyable anyway. Thank you!**_  
_


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Hello again guys! I have just one thing to say here: I am SO happy with all of the reviews I've gotten for this. I've never had a story get this popular, and it absolutely makes my day. I'm sorry I haven't replied to each of the reviews individually, I usually do but I've gotten so many for this that it makes it difficult. :) So I want to say thank you as a whole, to every one of you.  
Thanks for reading!  
This chapter sucks, I'm afraid Brittany is extremely out of character. :/  
WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS CHILD ABUSE. ****  
**

* * *

"Where the hell have you been?" The loud, booming voice sent chills down the small chipmunk's spine. He had heard it every day for the past five years, but it seemed as though it terrified him more and more each time he heard it.

"A-at the l-library…Sir." Simon bit his lip and looked up at his adoptive father.

"Then where's your book? You always have a ton of books when you come back from the library, and this time you don't even have one. Where are they?"

Simon's eyes widened. He never got a book. He was too busy trying to get away from Brittany. He was going to be in _huge _trouble now.

"I..I.." Simon had nothing. He closed his eyes, fully prepared for the pain he would soon feel. He felt himself being lifted off the ground by his upper arms.

That's when the first blow came. For the most part the beatings were a blur, and this one was no different. He did, however, feel everything. They might cause his memory to be hazy, but he felt it all. He felt every punch, every kick. He could feel the fact that his nose was bloody and he knew his glasses were broken.

But he didn't dare open his eyes. He didn't dare utter a word. He didn't dare cry. It would all be over soon enough.

* * *

"Yeah, my son. Alvin, if-"

"You named him after me?" Alvin cut Brittany off before she could finish talking, but he knew what she was going to say. She was going to ask if he hated her. He could never really hate her, no matter what she did.

"No, Alvin, I named him after some other egotistical jerk who happens to share his name with you! Yes I named him after you." The baby had stopped crying, and was now perched on her hip, staring at Alvin.

Alvin walked closer, to get a better look at this child. He was very strange looking, but adorable. His eyes were the same shade of blue as Brittany's, so they were naturally beautiful.

"Who's the father?" He said, still looking at the baby. He then looked up at Brittany. "Is he your boyfriend?"

Brittany smiled sadly. "No." She glanced at her baby, then forced her eyes back on Alvin. "I…Eleanor, a little help here..?"

Eleanor walked over and took the baby from his mother's arms and walked out of the room. Brittany walked over the couch and motioned for Alvin to follow her.

"Well?" Alvin said after a moment of silence.

Brittany stared at her lap for a moment before turning and facing Alvin again, her head held high. "If I tell you this, you have to promise you will _not_ think any less of me."

"Of course I won't, Britt." For the first time in a while, Alvin was taking something seriously. He knew it was a big step for Brittany to tell him whatever she was going to tell him.

"Okay…last year I went to a party. Miss Miller doesn't like us going to parties, so I didn't tell her. Jeanette and Eleanor were _begging_ me not to go, but I just laughed it off and told them it would be fine." She looked into Alvin's eyes as she continued. "There were rooms upstairs, lots of bedrooms…People would just…go upstairs, like it was nothing. I knew what they were doing, but I didn't leave. There was alcohol at the party, and I ended up getting a little bit…well…drunk."

Alvin blinked. Wow, he wasn't expecting _that. _

"After, like, an hour, maybe, a guy managed to get _me_ to go upstairs with him. He was arrested, because he was 23 and I was only 14...but…I got pregnant."

* * *

"Eggs, bread, milk, cheese, peanut butter, jelly, apple juice, orange juice, cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, chicken, pork, roast, hotdogs, and chocolate milk." Theodore smiled as he finished checking off his grocery list. If there was one errand he loved to run, it was the grocery shopping.

His parents never got exactly what he wanted, so it was nice to actually be able to pick out everything. That, and he loved being around all the food. The chipmunk pushed his buggy, which he was just big enough to push, towards the checkout, stopping and grabbing a bag of Ruffles potato chips on the way.

While he was stopped, he heard some whispering on the other side of the aisle. While not being a normally nosy person, he was curious as to what these people were talking about.

Theodore pressed his ear against the aisle to listen to the conversation on the other side. It was muffled, but he could still make out what they were saying.

"You really think people would notice if he just…disappeared?" A female voice whispered. Theodore's eyes widened. She wanted someone to _disappear? _

"People know we got a kid, they'll notice if he just disappears. We could 'prolly make it look like an accident…" A gruff male voice answered, also in a whisper. Theodore gasped. Was he actually overhearing people planning a murder?

"You still haven't told me why we came all the way out here. Why'd we fly all the way out here just to go to the store?" Theodore peeked between the boxes on the shelf, trying to get a glimpse at the conniving couple.

"We didn't fly all the way out here for nothing, 'Lil. I need to visit an ole' pal of mine, and buying the stuff so far from home won't hurt either." The man smirked. "That and I wanted to use the private jet."

_The stuff. _Stuff? Stuff to kill someone with? Stuff to dispose of the body with? Theodore was absolutely petrified. He couldn't move from where his feet were planted, and he could barely breathe.

The two people walked down the aisle and in the other direction. Theodore finally turned around and allowed himself to breathe. He left his buggy and walked quickly towards the door, running as soon as he was on the sidewalk again. The police station wasn't far, and although he wasn't exactly in the best shape to run, he knew he had to. There were murderers on the loose.

* * *

Alvin stared into Brittany's eyes for a long time. Contrary to what she believed, this didn't make him think less of her at all. He made lots of stupid decisions, probably ten times as many as she did, and he still loved himself to death.

He wasn't sure what to say to her. 'I'm sorry.'? Is that what he was supposed to say?

The two chipmunks heard a loud crash from the top of the staircase. They turned to see Jeanette standing there, laptop in hand, adjusting her glasses.

Alvin then remembered what she had been doing up in her room all this time. "Find anything?" He asked. Brittany raised an eyebrow and looked back and forth between her sister and her counterpart.

"Yes!" Jeanette panted, out of breath from running from her room to the top of the staircase. She composed herself and walked down the stairs and sat next to Alvin on the couch. She turned the screen so it showed two average looking humans. "Phillip and Lillian Deville, the richest people in town. Five years ago they adopted a son." She scrolled down a bit, and on screen came a professionally done photograph of the none other than Simon. "This was taken last year."

The Simon in this photograph looked like a completely different person than the one Alvin had seen on the news. His clothing was perfect and seemed to be tailored just for him, and he had a smile on his face. It didn't seem like he was the tattered and broken child that had been on the TV that day. When Alvin got to his eyes, however, he could tell one thing: the smile he wore in that photograph was fake.

* * *

**Wow, this looks really short. I think it's because my paragraphs are a lot bigger in this one than they usually are. Anyway, thank you for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: So I'm not completely satisfied with this chapter. I feel as though I might confuse people a bit with my skipping around, short scenes, and skipping past events. So I'm sorry if that happens. I hope you enjoy anyway!**

* * *

When Simon awoke the room he was in was pitch black. He didn't know how long he was out, but he knew his parents weren't home and were long gone by now. They would be back later. He needed to cherish the time he had without them.

Simon sat up with a grunt. He felt around the floor, finding his broken glasses. His adoptive parents had purchased over a dozen spare pairs, so that, even if they were broken, he'd always have another pair to wear.

He always wondered how on Earth the eye doctors had believed them when they said that Simon needed so many pairs because he broke them so often on his own. Nobody broke that many pairs of glasses on their own.

But they were just that convincing.

Phillip and Lillian Deville wore masks to the rest of the world. Few people knew their true character, and those who did said nothing because they were too afraid. To outsiders they would appear as perfect, loving, wonderful parents who wanted the best for their only son. But to Simon, they were the spawn of Satan himself.

* * *

He had a completely different idea of them the day he was adopted. They seemed like very kind people. They were sympathetic about him losing Dave and having to be split up from his brothers, and they acted like they actually cared.

He had been the second of the three chipmunks to be adopted. Theodore had gone first. Apparently it had been very difficult to get him and Alvin to release their grip on each other.

Simon remembered how scared he was, how helpless he felt. He always hated feeling helpless.

Those people had comforted him and told him they would love him and take good care of him, and he might just see his brothers again one day. Simon would find out very soon after arriving to their giant mansion that every word they spoke to him before that point was a complete lie.

* * *

"Hello? This is Alvin Seville. I was watching the news earlier and I think that the kid that was beaten by his parents is my brother. We were separated five years ago-"

"_I'm sorry but I have no idea what you're talking about." _

"…what? But…he was on the news earlier, and they were asking if anybody had any information on him and I-"

"_That case has been resolved and we have been told not to take or give any information on it. Have a nice day, Mr. Seville." _

The line went dead and Alvin just stood there, a look of shock on his face.

* * *

"Brittany, did Simon seem a little…off…to you when you saw him in town?" Jeanette asked her older sister as she chewed on her bottom lip.

"He almost seemed like he was scared of me or something…I thought it was just the fact he hadn't seen me in so long and we were never really close, but it could have been something else…" Brittany sighed and looked over at her sister. "And he had a black eye."

* * *

Eleanor sat in her bedroom, staring at the her computer monitor. Theodore hadn't been online all day, and she wasn't sure if he would pick up his phone, even if he was home.

She really wanted to tell him about Alvin being right here at her house and the information that Jeanette had found on Simon, but if he didn't get online soon she might not be able to before Alvin went home.

The shortest Chipette sighed. She clicked the button that said _"Sign out from here(ELLIE'SCOMPUTER)". _Perhaps MSN was just giving her problems. "Stupid MSN…"

She was hoping Theodore would appear as online when she signed back in, but she had no such luck. Ellie glared at the monitor and put her forehead down on the desk. This was going to be a long wait.

* * *

Theodore was exhausted. The little chipmunk breathed heavily as he stood outside the police station. He grabbed the door and pulled it open, feeling the cool air rush out towards him.

He stepped inside and looked around for a moment before walking up to the front desk. "Excuse me!" He reached his hand onto the counter and stood on his tippy toes, his eyes peeking over the tall desk.

The woman at the desk smiled down at him. "Can I help you?"

"U-Uh…I-I think that I-uh...heard someone planning a m-murder…"

* * *

It was a little after 8pm, and Alvin had gone home for the day. He didn't want to, but he had to, as he was on probation and had a strict curfew. The Chipettes had been trying to contact Theodore all day, to no avail.

Brittany had told Jeanette all about her encounter with Simon in town that day, and that she had given him her phone number. Jeanette knew it was quite unlikely that he would call at all, but she hoped, with all her heart, that he would.

She never talked about it much, how much she missed her best friend. She had always tried being strong for her sisters when they got upset about losing contact with the boys, but not once did she mention to them how _she_ felt.

She spent all those years not knowing. She didn't know where he was or who he was with, if he was still with his brothers or if he was all alone. She didn't know if he was safe or if he was hurt.

Now she knew, and she was terrified. From what Alvin had said he saw on the news and from what Brittany had told her about Simon's behavior when she had encountered him, Jeanette could put together the full picture.

* * *

Simon had abusive parents that punished him for doing anything they didn't like, that much was clear. It explained why he was terrified to come with Brittany and it explained his nervous behavior.

What she couldn't explain, though, is why anyone would adopt a child if they were just going to endlessly abuse him. Didn't people usually adopt a child because they _wanted _one? Why would they adopt a child they didn't want?

By the looks of what she had found online about Simon's adoptive family, they were extremely wealthy. She had suspicions that perhaps the reason the person Alvin had talked to on the phone acted as though they knew nothing was because she had been paid to say so.

* * *

Jeanette sighed and glanced back at the house phone that sat next to her. She'd been waiting by the phone ever since Alvin left, and she was starting to give up hope.

The purple-clad Chipette sank down into the couch with a huff. She grabbed her laptop and flipped it back open, going back to the page that she had been on earlier. She scrolled down to the picture of Simon and stopped.

She hadn't noticed it before, even after Alvin had pointed it out, but his eyes looked dead. That shine that she remembered so fondly from years ago was no longer present, and it had been replaced by dullness. Jeanette bit her lip as she stared at the photograph, willing her tears not to fall.

She couldn't help but jump when the phone rang. Jeanette hurriedly removed her laptop from her lap and reached to grab the telephone. The caller I.D. read _'P. Deville'. _She wasted no time pressing 'talk'.

"Hello?" She heard a surprised gasp from the other line.

"Jeanette?

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: I am SO SO SO sorry to all my readers for the delay in this chapter. I have been faced with SEVERE writer's block, and this is what I come back with. I actually wrote all but the last few paragraphs before my writer's block hit. This chapter is about half of the length it was intended to be, but I decided to go ahead with posting it so you guys wouldn't have to continue waiting forever for me. I'm going to try writing a oneshot to get rid of my writer's block before I try the next chapter of this, so until then, enjoy!**

* * *

Jeanette felt as if her heart had stopped beating for a moment. Simon was on the phone. She was on the phone with Simon. He was okay. She was going to get to speak with him.

"S-Simon?"

* * *

Simon allowed himself to smile. "Hello, Jeanette."

The chipmunk couldn't believe who he was talking to. He hadn't realized just how much he had missed Jeanette until he heard her voice again. Her voice was like a chorus of a thousand angels, and if he wasn't still living in hell he would have thought that he had passed away and made the journey to heaven.

"Simon! Oh! I can't believe it's really you! Are you alright? How have you been?" Simon wasn't sure how much she knew about the situation he was in, but he had a strange feeling she knew more than he'd like her to know, more than he had told Brittany when he had seen her in town earlier that day.

"I-I'm fine, Jeanette…Everything is alright. I assume Brittany told you about her encounter with me today?"

* * *

So he was going to play it off and pretend he wasn't in such a horrible situation. The Simon she knew wasn't a liar, but this was probably what he'd been doing for years, pretending. Pretending that he had as wonderful a home life as people said he did, pretending that every moment had absolutely no chance of being his last. She couldn't let him go through this. She had to let him know she knew the truth.

"Yes, she did…b-but Simon, I…" Jeanette sighed. This was going to be more difficult that she had anticipated. Perhaps she should start from the beginning. "Brittany encountered you in town today, well…I encountered someone, too. I saw Alvin today."

"Y-you did? Really? How is he? Is he alright?" Jeanette smiled at the fact his questions about his older brother were so similar to the ones she had asked him merely a few moments before, about himself.

"He's fine. He's living in a foster home." The Chipette bit her lip. "But Simon, I have something important to tell you…" She let out a watery sigh. "Simon, Alvin saw you on the news today."

"S-so he knows…?" Jeanette could hear the fear and shakiness in his voice, and it deeply concerned her.

"Y-yes."

"A-and…you…you know?" Even more fear, if that was possible, could be heard in the chipmunk's voice.

"Yes, I know. Simon, you can't live like this! W-what if they hurt you really, really bad? W-what…oh God…w-what if they kill you?" Jeanette had gotten herself into a state of panic, and couldn't help the tears that rolled down her face at the thought of losing her best friend again, when she had only just found him. She tried to hide the fact that she was crying, but she knew it showed through in her voice.

"Jeanette…Jeanette, calm down. Please don't cry." Simon couldn't stand to hear her cry, especially knowing that she was crying over him.

* * *

Theodore plopped down on his bed, utterly exhausted. He had spent the entire afternoon at the police station being questioned about what he saw, and, needless to say, it was an interesting experience.

Apparently nobody in his town or the surrounding towns had ever seen anyone fitting the description he gave. There was nobody anywhere nearby who went by the name "'Lil" and nobody who owned a private jet.

* * *

It was a dead end. The police were doing all they could, but they had no leads, and there was nothing else he could do for them.

Theodore was just glad to be home, in his warm bed, and with his teddy. He didn't even feel like sending a short email to tell Eleanor about his day like he normally would if he'd been out all day, he was that tired.

Although he couldn't help but feel as though she had something important to tell him. He just shrugged it off, whenever he got one of those 'feelings' it was probably wrong.

Besides, what could possibly happen in just one day?

* * *

**Hope that one wasn't too bad...Theodore is extremely difficult for me to write, because I have absolutely NOTHING in common with him like I do all the other characters, so that last part was...ehhh...I hope this satisfied you guys, because I hate to disappoint! Thanks for reading! **


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Sorry for the really late update, guys! I had a lot of block on this one. I know exactly what to write for the next one though, so hopefully it'll take a lot less time than this one did. I hope you enjoy anyway!**

* * *

Simon and Jeanette talked for hours after he was finally able to comfort her into thinking he would be alright and there was no reason to cry. They talked about anything and everything and caught up on the past five years of one another's lives.

Jeanette told Simon how Theodore was doing, and that he had spent the past three years desperately searching, finding Eleanor after one of those years was complete, and how he was supposed to come for a visit within the coming months.

She told him about how worried Alvin was for him, and the little bit she knew about Alvin's home life for the past few years. She told him how Eleanor and Brittany were doing, and explained the situation behind Brittany having a baby.

* * *

Simon told Jeanette about everything he possibly could without having her cry for him again. He told her the reason behind his parents adopting him, and their reasoning behind beating him. He explained that they wanted him to be perfect, and disobeying them was not an option.

He told her about how he wasn't allowed to have friends or fun, about how spending one minute of his time not doing something educational would lead to another attack.

She asked for his address. He wouldn't give it to her.

* * *

Alvin turned over on his bed again, awaking from his fitful sleep. He couldn't stay asleep for more than a few minutes that night, he was too worried.

Ever since he found out about Simon's situation, his brotherly instincts kicked in and he _needed _to know his brother was out of harms way. The problem was, he knew he wasn't.

* * *

Theodore opened his eyes, to find that the sun had started to rise over the horizon. He closed them back and snuggled under his blankets, it was far too early to be awake anyway.

He couldn't shake the nagging feeling he was getting that he should be awake though. So the chubby little chipmunk slowly stood up and moved to his computer. Eleanor probably wouldn't be on this late, it was the middle of the night for her, but he hoped she would at least have messaged him about her day like he would have done if he wasn't so tired the night before.

* * *

Eleanor was determined to stay up. She had to. There was no telling when Theodore would get online, but she had to wait for him. The importance of what she had to tell her best friend were keeping her wide awake as she anxiously stared at her computer monitor.

He would be online soon. He had to.

* * *

By now Alvin was pacing back and forth across the floor of his bedroom. There had to be something he could do. He couldn't leave Simon with these people.

He just wish he knew more about the situation. He would kill to hear Simon explain everything himself, but he had a feeling he wouldn't get that privilege if someone didn't act soon.

* * *

_"What the hell are you doing on the phone?"_ Jeanette heard the booming voice in the background, soon following silence on Simon's end. She was about to panic when a calm, sweet sounding female voice came on the line.

"Hello, and who am I speaking with?"

"U-uh..."

"That's alright, you don't have to answer. Forget this number. Never call here again, do you understand?"

"Y-yes ma'am."

"Good." She could hear the evil smile in the woman's voice. The evil smile didn't scare her as the sounds she heard in the background right before the line went dead.

* * *

_'Theodore Seville has signed in.'_

Eleanor Miller had never been as happy as she was the moment she read those words. She wasted no time clicking his name to make the IM window pop up.

_Eleanor Miller says:  
__Theodore! I have big, big, big news!_

_Theodore Seville says:  
__me too. you go first. _

_Eleanor Miller says:  
__Alvin and Simon are both in my town! Jeanette ran into Alvin in town yesterday, and about that same time Brittany ran into Simon!_

* * *

Theodore was in shock. All these years he'd been searching for his brothers, and it turned out they were in the same town as the girls. Tears of happiness rolled down his face, and a huge smile planted itself there. It was then that he remembered that he hadn't responded to her yet to ask how they were.

* * *

_Theodore Seville says:  
__really? :D how are they? _

* * *

The screen told Theodore that Eleanor was typing, and it kept telling him that for a_ long_ time. He wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

* * *

_Eleanor Miller says:  
__Well...Alvin is in a foster home with two younger sisters, and seems to be rather, well...angry. I think he's fine though..just upset about being separated from you and Simon. Simon...well...he was adopted by these rich snobs who are so caught up in themselves that they want a _perfect _child with _perfect _grades to support their _perfect _image. They're abusive, Theodore. They hurt him. _

* * *

Eleanor hadn't meant to, but she had picked up the phone earlier when Jeanette was on the phone with Simon, and she couldn't help but listen in from there on. She heard it when Simon spilled everything to her older sister, and she knew all about his current situation. The thought of all of it disgusted her.

Since Eleanor had such a maternal air about her, abusive parents disgusted her even more than they would any other teenage girl, and that was a lot. They were the kind of people she wanted to bash in the face with a frying pan, just to protect the poor children who were unfortunate enough to be in those situations.

She looked up at the screen. Theodore wasn't typing. Perhaps he was in shock over what she had said. He was probably very upset, she knew she would be if she were in his situation. But he also had to be happy because his brother had been found. The mix of emotions couldn't be too good for the poor boy.

* * *

There was that nagging feeling again. He was glad his brothers were alive and that he would hopefully get a chance to see them soon, but there was some feeling he was getting that there was something he knew about this, but he didn't know what it was.

He looked up at his monitor to see that Eleanor had replied again.

* * *

_Eleanor Miller:  
__The police won't do anything about Simon. Alvin called them earlier and they pretended they wouldn't know what he was talking about! I hate police.  
__The 'parents', if you even wanna call them that, are named "Phillip and Lillian Deville". Jeanette looked them up earlier. _

* * *

Theodore almost fell out of his chair. That name. That name.

_"You really think people would notice if he just…disappeared?"_

_"People know we got a kid, they'll notice if he just disappears. We could 'prolly make it look like an accident…"_

_"You still haven't told me why we came all the way out here. Why'd we fly all the way out here just to go to the store?" _

_"We didn't fly all the way out here for nothing, 'Lil."_

_Lil.  
_

* * *

**Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I never thought I'd write a story with an IM conversation in it. XD That was strange.  
Btw, in case you haven't noticed it yet, Simon's 'parents' share names with Rugrats characters. No, this is not accidental. I was pretty much dared to use those names. xD They look or act nothing like those characters, I assure you, and they are married, not twins.  
Anyway, I'm not particularly satisfied with this one, but it's alright.  
Thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: I'm sorry I'm so slow please don't hurt me! D:  
Here is an update..I'm not gonna make any promises on when the next one will be up this time, but it won't be too long!**

* * *

Theodore was terrified. He still hadn't replied to the last thing that Eleanor had said, and she was probably wondering why, but at this moment, he was too frozen in fear to move his hands to his keyboard.

Those people he had seen at the grocery store weren't just planning any old murder. They were planning the murder of his own brother.

Slowly the green-clad chipmunk moved his shaking hand over to the telephone to call Eleanor. His fingers just couldn't type this message out, it was too important.

* * *

Jeanette was still sitting perfectly still on her bed. She hadn't moved since her conversation on the telephone with Simon had come to such an abrupt halt. The young girl seemed to be in a daze. Her worry for her best friend was unparalleled.

A banging on her door knocked her out of her daze, and she slowly walked over to open it. On the other side was her younger sister, Eleanor. The chubby blonde had a look of terror on her face, and fear shone in brown eyes.

"Jeanette!" The shorter of the two grabbed her sister's arms and shook her a bit. "I-I just talked with Theodore, he heard two people planning a murder, a-and it turns out, they're Simon's parents!"

The older Chipette's eyes went wide and she began to tremble. This couldn't be happening, it just couldn't. She was scared enough with them beating him, but planning to _murder _him? This was a whole new level of horrifying.

"Jeanette! What do we do?" Despite the fact that she desperately wanted to leave it to the police and cower away in her room hoping that everything would be alright, she knew that the police would do nothing. They'd been through enough to do that. So she let her instincts take over.

"We have to save him..." She said calmly.

Her sister looked up at her like she had just grown fangs. "Are you crazy? Do you want to get killed?"

Jeanette sighed and bit her lip. "I-If we don't do something, who will? The police won't do anything..."

Eleanor sighed as well. "You're right, they won't..." A look of bravery came over her face as she looked up at her sister. "I'm in."

* * *

Alvin sat on his bed, his head buried in his hands. It was a rare occasion that he thought so much about one certain thing in particular, especially if it didn't involve some sort of personal gain on his part.

There was a cool breeze blowing in through his open window, and it blew the old, tattered photograph that he had sitting in his lap right onto the floor. He removed his hands from his face and picked up the picture.

The photograph was so torn and tattered because of how many nights he had clutched it to him while he slept, trying to rid himself of the recurring nightmare where he had to watch his father die over and over again.

It was a photo of him, Dave, and his brothers, taken when they were just eight years old. They hadn't changed much, size wise, since then, but they had grown up oh so much.

Alvin didn't show it on the outside. He acted immature, sure, and he was just that way, but his childish innocence was gone. The hurt and torment of the world had changed him, and his brothers too, all because they had been torn apart.

Alvin Seville was never one to cry, but he couldn't help himself when a single teardrop fell down onto the photograph. If only things could be the way they were back then. A family, with a loving father, wonderful brothers that he loved dearly, even if he wouldn't admit it sometimes, and a happy, successful life.

The chipmunk's eyes drifted to his side table. He opened the drawer and pulled out another photograph. This one was in a frame.

It was supposed to be a gift. He'd saved it for one special person for years, but due to all the chaos that seeing Simon on the news caused, he had forgotten to take it to its rightful owner.

It was a photograph of he and Brittany when they were ten. It was one of the few moments they weren't fighting, and Alvin had his arm around her shoulders. Both of them had a huge grin on their face.

The picture was crooked and a bit blurred, but that made it all the more special. Alvin couldn't help but chuckle as he remembered that day.

* * *

Simon had been behind the camera, and as soon as he was about to snap the picture, Jeanette, who had been walking over to where he was standing, managed to trip, knocking herself into Simon and causing him to fall, taking the camera with him. The picture was a memory, a wonderful memory of better times.

That's why he wanted to give it to her. Not only was it a wonderful memory, but Brittany didn't have a single photo of them together that he knew of. She'd always get rid of the photos they took together, saying something about how taking a picture with Alvin made her look bad.

Alvin was pulled from his thoughts by a tap on his window. He went over and pulled it open to find two girls dressed in black standing outside.

The chipmunk raised and eyebrow. "Jeanette? Eleanor? What the-"

"We'll explain on the way, please just get out here!"

"And change out of that red T-Shirt while you're at it."

Alvin was, needless to say, confused. "Nope. You explain now, _then _I'll decide if this is worth my time."

"T-they're planning to k-kill Simon, Alvin." Jeanette stammered, clearly nervous once more.

"And we need your help to rescue him." Eleanor added.

* * *

Alvin's eyes widened before narrowing. He was so angry that he was shaking. Without a word he walked over to his dresser, pulled out a black shirt, dark pants and a black backpack, dressed, and climbed out the window. "What's the plan?" He finally said after he had joined the girls.

"W-well, we were hoping you could help with that." Jeanette bit her lip.

"You were always the master of elaborate schemes." Eleanor crossed her arms.

"Right..." Alvin took a deep breath. "You know where he lives?"

"I did some research, and found the address. I-it's not too far from here, actually..." The bespectacled Chipette pulled out a piece of paper with the address on it and and looked it over once more. "It's about two blocks away."

Alvin looked thoughtful for a moment. "We'll have to scope the house, make sure they aren't watching, then find his room."

"That will be kind of difficult with such a big house...he said he lives in a mansion."

"So we scope the house from the inside." Alvin turned his red baseball cap around backwards. "If they're not around, we snag him and high tail it out of there. If they are, we hide and wait."

"You are gonna take that hat off when we do this, aren't you?" Eleanor questioned before they started on their journey to the address on the slip of paper.

"Yeah, yeah. I have to keep it on right now, though,...for...good luck." Alvin hid his fear behind his signature smirk, and they were on their way.

* * *

**That really sucked, imo. Especially Theodore's part. I really need to try writing him more, because I'm really bad at it. It's just hard to keep his innocent personality going when he's figuring out he overheard someone plan to murder his brother...  
Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this at least a little bit. Thanks for reading!**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Sorry for the long wait and the super short chapter that came with it, I've just had a lot going on lately! I went back to school a few weeks ago, and my 18th birthday just passed two days ago, so all of that has kept me busy. I haven't had much time to write. I hope this satisfies you, though! Enjoy and thanks for reading!**

* * *

The three teenagers said not another word during their short journey. Nervousness enveloped every single one of them, and fear grasped them with its slimy hands.

Alvin stopped and pulled the two girls behind a large bush with him when the large house came into view. His eyes darted around and he licked his lips before focusing his eyes on theirs. "Okay, plan time." He grabbed the cap off of his head and shoved it into his bag, pulling out three black sock caps and handing two of them to Jeanette and Eleanor.

"W-we look like thieves..." Jeanette whispered, putting the cap on her head. Alvin smirked.

"We are."

Eleanor put her own cap on before peeking around the tree to see that every light in the house was off except for one. "That must be where they are." She whispered.

"Good. If they're way up there, they won't hear us sneak in."

"But..what if the door's locked?" Jeanette bit her lip.

"You think I can't pick locks? Please!" Alvin rolled his eyes.

* * *

The three chipmunks scurried over to the front door, steering clear of any outside lights that might shine down on them and reveal their presence. Sure enough, the door was locked, so Alvin quickly got to work on picking the lock.

The girls watched him in curiosity. "How the heck did you learn to do that, anyway?" Eleanor asked in a whisper, raising an eyebrow.

"Years of practice. Just another reason nobody wants to keep me, I'm a hardened criminal." He smirked jokingly as he continued to work on the lock.

After a short while he was successful and the door swung open. The three tiptoed inside, shutting it softly behind them.

Alvin slinked down the hallway, clearly having practiced at being stealthy. Eleanor wasn't far behind him, being able to make herself stealthy quite easily as well. Jeanette, on the other hand, was having a hard time not falling over her own two feet and making a noise that would give them away.

The mansion was gigantic, and they had no idea how on Earth they would find Simon's room in time, or even if they were already too late.

* * *

Suddenly, the trio heard murmuring voices that grew louder as they drew closer. A little ways down the hallway they were currently on was a door that was cracked open slightly, casting an eerie glow on the wall across from it.

Alvin took in a breath. He glanced over at Jeanette." Jeanette, you find Simon, Ellie and I will take care of _them._" He said in an extremely light whisper.

Jeanette nodded and continued to 'sneak' on, looking for any trace of something that would belong to her counterpart.

Eventually, she found something. There was a pair of red and white sneakers sitting outside of a painted blue door. She slipped open the door and crept inside, shutting the door behind her. When she flipped on the lights she found herself in a medium sized bathroom.

She could tell this bathroom belonged to Simon. The entire room was painted and decorated in various shades of blue, with a bit of purple or red here and there. The Chipette glanced over to the counter, seeing several pairs of blue framed glasses sitting there. She raised an eyebrow. Why would he need so many pairs of glasses?

Her curiosity getting the better of her, she swiftly, but quietly, pulled open the top drawer. The inside was packed with band-aids and bandages. Jeanette frowned and closed the drawer. She should probably get back to her mission now.

There was a door inside of the bathroom, it probably led to Simon's bedroom. She switched off the lights in the bathroom before slowly opening the bedroom door.

* * *

Immediately she saw Simon, fast asleep. He was bundled up under several blankets. The light barely touched his face, but from the way it did, he looked like an angel. Jeanette smiled fondly at him. He was just as she remembered him from their childhood.

When Simon turned over, however, and the light fully touched his face, the smile transformed into a frown. She could see the bruises and cuts that littered his features. His eyes would occasionally scrunch up while he slept, as if he were in the midst of a terrible, terrible dream.

Jeanette tiptoed over to him, sitting on the side of his bed. She didn't want to scare him when he awoke, so she decided, instead of shaking him awake, to take a different approach.

"Simon..." She whispered softly. "Simon, wake up. It's me, Jeanette..." His expression softened a bit before he slowly opened his eyes.

"J-Jeanette?" He looked up at her with blurry eyes. "Is...is this a dream?" Jeanette gave him a smile.

"No, I'm really here." Her smile fell. "Simon, we need to go. We're getting you out of here. Alvin and Eleanor are taking care of your parents." Simon reached over to his side table, grabbing and putting on his glasses.

"What do you mean by 'taking care'?"

"I...I'm not sure...Alvin just said he would take care of them..."

* * *

Alvin and Eleanor reached the outside of the room they had heard the voices coming from. They stopped, still crouched and leaning against the wall. Alvin reached into his backpack, as if he were looking for something. He stopped after a moment, smirking and pulling out a gun.

Eleanor's eyes widened and she held back her gasp. "Alvin!" She whispered very quietly. "What do you think you're doing?! You can't possibly-" Alvin slapped his hand over her mouth.

"Shh..." Alvin turned and looked at her. "After what those motherfuckers did to my brother, they're going to pay..." His eyes narrowed. "I'm sure you can tell what I'm planning. If something goes wrong, I want you to _run. _Find Jeanette and Simon, make sure they get out. Tell Brittany I love her. You're supposed to be my back-up, _don't be._" Without uttering another word, Alvin jumped up and ran through the door, disappearing from Eleanor's sight.

* * *

**I'm not satisfied with this chapter, but I hope it is enjoyable anyway! Thanks for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Sorry for the wait, guys, I've been under a lot of stress lately and am trying to get my life back together. I want to thank my readers, I NEVER in a million years thought I'd get 100, let alone over 100, reviews! You guys are amazing and I love you.  
This chapter sucks, in my opinion, but please enjoy!**

* * *

A sharp chill ran down Simon's spine as he heard a gunshot penetrate the night air. He snapped right out of the sleepy daze he had been in. There was only one thought on his mind. _'What the _hell_ did Alvin do this time?!'_

Jeanette let out a loud gasp, her hands clapping themselves over her mouth. Simon jumped right out of his bed and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her out the door. The two wasted no time in getting to the room the shot had come from.

Eleanor was outside the door to that room, shaking with her knees clutched to her and tears rolling down her face. Jeanette tended to her while Simon peeked around the corner.

There were three figures in the room. One lay dead, another wounded, while the third silhouette stood their ground, a crazed expression on their face.

Unfortunately, one of the bodies laying on the floor was not one Simon wanted to see.

* * *

Those few second were all a blur to Alvin. He had sent his goodbye's with Eleanor, you know, just in case, burst through the door, and pulled the trigger.

Whatever happened after that didn't make much sense. He had shot the man in the head and killed him, he knew that much, but whatever black magic that witch had worked against him had caused Alvin Seville to fall, sharp pains webbing themselves throughout his body from some point he couldn't distinguish.

Was he dead? He didn't think so. He could still hear the world around him. His mouth was opened in a silent scream. He heard a shout, a shout he'd heard many times, but none had been as terrified as this one. It was a voice he hadn't heard in the longest time, but he could still easily tell belonged to his nerdy little brother, Simon. The very person he'd been attempting to rescue was now coming to his side.

He heard broken sobs. Maybe he really was dead? Simon was yelling now...not at him, but at someone else. Perhaps it was that witch? Maybe Simon was finally standing his ground against her? Alvin hoped he'd have the chance to find out.

* * *

That must have been when he fell asleep. When he awoke he was in completely different room, but those broken sobs had not gone away. They were still there. Somehow they had followed him. He listened closer, discovering words hidden between the sobs.

"Why are you so..so.._stupid _Alvin?" More sobs. "You could be d-dead..."

Alvin opened his eyes, seeing a blue-clad figure curled up in the chair beside his bed, the figure's arms leaned on the side of the bed and his head buried in those arms.

Simon. He'd never seen him like this, the usually composed Chipmunk was a complete mess. This wasn't the brother he'd grown up to know.

The steady beep of the heart monitor, Alvin noticed, added to the sobs. He was in a hospital room.

"S-Simon?" His voice came out in a rasp, it almost hurt to talk. But Simon heard him, as his head shot up when Alvin spoke.

"Alvin! What the _fuck _is _wrong _with you?!" Alvin winced. He'd never heard, or even expected, Simon to swear, no matter the situation. Simon continued when he got no answer. "You _killed _a man, Alvin! A-and what's worse, you could be _dead!_"

Alvin smirked, despite the terrible situation they were in. "But I'm not dead, and, thanks to me, neither are you."

"I'd rather be dead than have all of this happen!" Simon buried his face in his palms. "This is too much..."

"Hey, be thankful, I got you away from those terrible people."

"No, you _didn't. _You killed one of them...there are two of them...Lillian _will not _give up until she has me dead, _especially _since you killed her husband. She's the real ringleader, Alvin. She's ruthless, she won't give up."

"Like they'll let her near you now..."

"Alvin, she has money! She can claim she was shooting you in self defense, which, if you want to be technical, she was! She could have me back in her clutches with the snap of a finger."

* * *

Before Alvin could say a word in response, there was a knock on the door. "Ah, Mr. Seville, you're awake. There's a young lady that would like to see you."

A distraught Brittany Miller emerged from behind the nurse. She had an expression of anger on her face, but tears glimmered in her glaring eyes.

Alvin looked over at her, her expression causing him to shift nervously in his bed. That shifting caused him to press the remote, causing the television in the hospital room to come on.

It showed a devilish blonde woman, one who was pretending to cry, being interviewed on the news. To anyone besides the people in this room and those related to them, her tears might appear to be sincere. To the people here, though, those tears were merely droplets with no feeling behind them, from deep down inside the black abyss that was her soul.

"T-that _monster _child took my husband away, and now t-they want to take my baby away from me too! J-just because he's got a few scuffs and bruises! Y-you people are so heartless! That child..he..he needs me!"

* * *

**Oh my god that sucked so very bad... Thank you for reading, though!**


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: Sorry for the wait, I've just had a hard time writing this chapter...and it shows. I have never, ever in my life been so upset with how something has turned out that I've written. I was almost in tears while writing the Alvittany scene in this because it's so terribly written and so out of character. I want to bang my head against the wall for this entire chapter...but I hope it's somewhat enjoyable, even though it sucks and nothing really happens in it...I think this story will only have a couple of chapters left. **

**Please try to enjoy. **

* * *

Alvin glanced away from the TV and at the brother at his bedside. Simon was stiff as a board, his eyes wide as he stared up at the television.

If Alvin hadn't known what fear looked like, he would have known that very instant. He'd never seen someone so scared in his life.

Simon wasn't the only one in the room who had gone silent when the woman on the television spoke, everyone in the room had. Alvin, Brittany, the nurse...

The seconds ticked by like hours, but eventually Simon stood up shakily, adjusting his glasses. "I'm going to go to the..to the bathroom." They all watched him as he stepped out of the room.

* * *

Theodore stood at the airport, looking around frantically and feeling lost and out of place. He clutched his dark green carry-on to his chest, pretending that, instead of hugging the bag, he was hugging its contents.

He was scared. He had been scared ever since he'd received that phone call. It had started out on a happy note, he was told that Simon was no longer in the home of those terrible murderers. Then, however, his optimism dropped when he found out exactly _how _Simon had been rescued.

The phone call had been from Brittany. Theodore was a bit confused as to why she had called him instead of Eleanor, and it didn't take long for his curiosity to get the better of him and for him to ask.

Brittany had told him that Eleanor had been traumatized. She hadn't acted the same since she'd directly witnessed Alvin kill a man.

Theodore felt terrible...he hadn't been there to help comfort his brothers, he hadn't been there to help comfort Eleanor, or Brittany, or Jeanette...this whole time he had been of no help to anyone.

He wasn't going to let that happen anymore. He needed to see his brothers before it was too late. Immediately after hanging up the phone he had talked to his parents about getting him on the next flight to California.

* * *

"I'll leave you two alone for a bit."

Ever since the nurse had said that, neither Alvin nor Brittany had said a word. It went on for what felt like hours...but eventually Brittany broke the silence.

"You're a good brother, Alvin..." She stared at the television, which was still on, but muted, still not meeting Alvin's eyes. "Stupid, but a good brother."

Alvin smirked at her. "That wasn't the reaction I expected from _you._"

Brittany's eyes narrowed as she turned towards her counterpart. "What's that supposed to mean? Here I am being all sentimental, and you're being...being..well..Alvin!" She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"Just trying to lighten the mood..."

"Well you're not doing a very good job." Brittany turned her head away from him once more.

Alvin sighed. Suddenly, he remembered something. "Brittany, what did they do with my bag?"

"The police took it."

"Oh..." Alvin's face fell. "Damn."

"Why..?" The Chipette raised an eyebrow.

"There was..." Alvin looked out the window. "A...gift in there. For you."

Brittany opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Alvin had a gift for her? She found the whole idea of that rather odd. He had always refused to give her gifts when they were kids, even on her birthday. Of course, if Alvin bought a gift, it was almost always for himself.

"Brittany...you remember that time we went to the beach together when we were like..eight and I put sand down your swimsuit top? You chased me around for an hour."

Brittany smirked. "Then I forgave you when you found that pretty seashell I used to make a necklace? Of course I remember that."

"The picture Dave took after I gave you that shell was your gift...but it was in that bag, so..."

* * *

Simon passed the armed police officers outside of the door, barely able to hold back the glare he wanted to shoot at them. They acted as though Alvin was a criminal...which, he technically was, but...he was a hero.

Simon hadn't thought of it like that before. He should be thankful for what Alvin had done...if it wasn't for Alvin, Simon would probably be dead right now. He had jumped right into being angry, and rightfully so, but he shouldn't have been completely angry with Alvin.

Simon slowly walked into the men's bathroom, leaning against the wall when he arrived. He slowly slid down the wall, resting his arms and head on his knees when he reached the floor. The place was probably coated in germs, but at that moment, Simon couldn't find it in himself to care.

All he could think about was what was going to happen next. Alvin would probably end up in prison for murder, and Simon would probably end up in the clutches of that...that..._bitch _again. He'd never see Alvin again, he'd never see the girls again, and he'd never be reunited with Theodore at all.

Simon sighed and stared up at the wall. It was like the whole world was falling even further apart than it had years ago...there was no way for this story to have a happy ending.

* * *

**My god that was fucking terrible..just looking at it makes me ashamed to have written it. :/ Thank you for reading. **


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: I don't really have much to say about this chapter, so just..read on! :D**

* * *

Jeanette sat in the waiting room of the hospital in an over-sized chair, her little nephew perched on her lap. It had been hours since they had arrived, and she had yet to get any word on what was going on with Alvin. She was on baby duty, at the moment.

The Chipette glanced over at her younger sister, who, ever since the events just hours before, hadn't said a word. Eleanor just stared off into space, a distant expression on her face. Brittany even had to relay the news to Theodore, since Eleanor couldn't speak. Jeanette would have offered to do it, but after thinking about it a moment she figured it would be best for Brittany to do so after all.

Brittany hadn't directly witnessed anything, so it wasn't as real to her. She hadn't seen that man, dead on the floor, due to Alvin's hand. She hadn't seen the pool of blood gathered beneath Alvin as he lay there, motionless. She hadn't seen Simon leaning over his brother, sobbing, while screaming at that devil of a woman. She could relay the events without it seeming as if it was recurring over and over in her head.

Jeanette was terrified, but she knew she wasn't as scared as Alvin or Simon were. She wasn't going to be as directly affected by this. She closed her eyes and sighed, her grip on the small child that sat in her lap tightening. Her eyes opened when she heard a small squeak from her younger sister.

* * *

Theodore barely remembered boarding the flight when he found himself stepping out of the plane and onto California soil. He hadn't been here in years. It felt great to indirectly feel the ground of the state he grew up in beneath his feet, but then he remembered what he was here to do.

With a look of sheer determination that was so much unlike him, Theodore stomped off, knowing not where he was going, but where he wanted to be: with his brothers.

* * *

Simon found himself crying again. He hadn't meant to, hadn't even realized he was at first. He was just so terrified. How had a simple rescue mission gone so terribly wrong? Why hadn't Alvin told the girls he was carrying a gun? Did he plan on killing the entire time?

Was it selfish to be more worried about the fact that he might end up in the hands of that woman once again than the fact his brother was a murderer and would face severe consequences for his actions? Simon thought it was, but he couldn't find it in himself to change that.

* * *

When Jeanette opened her eyes they met those of a rather burly looking male nurse.

"Miss Miller?" The man said, his voice just as gruff as his appearance.

"U-uhm...yes?"

"Where is your friend, Simon DeVille?" Jeanette cringed at the last name, she wasn't used to hearing it. It seemed so out of place and broken.

"I..I don't know. He was visiting Alvin last time I checked." The man walked off without a word. It was then that Jeanette heard her youngest sister speak her first words in hours.

"I wonder what they want with him." Eleanor spoke in a rather monotone voice.

"They p-probably just want to observe his wounds." Yeah...that had to be it. What else could they possibly want?

* * *

Alvin was alone in his room when he felt it. It was a painful feeling, deep, deep in his stomach. It wasn't a physical pain, it was an emotional pain. It was that feeling people would sometimes get when something was going terribly, terribly wrong. It was the same feeling Alvin used to get at random times throughout his childhood after he and his brothers had been separated.

He called it his brotherly instinct. It had become ten times stronger after he had found out what had been happening to Simon. Was something wrong now? Alvin glanced around the room desperately, wishing he could escape the increasingly small white prison cell.

* * *

The knock on the bathroom door had startled Simon, and the young chipmunk had shot up from his position on the floor, dusting off his clothes just in time for the door to open. A large, rather frightening man appeared in the doorway, a serious expression on his face.

"You Simon 'Seville'?" Simon's eyes widened.

"Y-yes?" Before a second word could be spoken, the world was black. Simon couldn't see anything, but he heard and felt everything. He heard the man grunting as he felt himself being shoved into some sort of bag. There was excruciating pain as his body was bent in ways he never thought possible. Finally, all of his senses went numb.

* * *

The taxi had barely even reached a stop before Theodore was already exiting it, leaving behind a wad of cash and a polite 'Thank you'. The chubby chipmunk ran through the double doors at the front of the hospital, spotting the familiar bobbing of blonde pigtails from the waiting room. He quickly walked in that direction, realizing he probably shouldn't be running in a hospital.

When he was within sight of the girls, Eleanor ran to him, sinking into his embrace. Theodore held her tight as she sobbed. Theodore couldn't remember a time Eleanor had ever needed comforting. In fact, he couldn't even remember a time where he had seen her cry. If she cried, it was in her own private silence. Theodore was always the one that needed a shoulder to cry on, and Eleanor the comforter. Now, it was his turn to be _her _shoulder.

Eventually, her tears stopped flowing. It was then Theodore was able to speak up and ask the question he had been wondering for so long.

"W-where are Alvin and Simon?"

"A-Alvin is in room-" Jeanette started, but was interrupted by her sister's still monotone voice.

"I'll take him." Jeanette's mouth hung open before she whispered a reply.

"O-okay."

* * *

Alvin was out of his bed and standing at his windowsill when they arrived. He appeared to be observing the outside world, his eyes darting across the hospital parking lot in a rather erratic manner.

"Mr. Seville, what are you doing out of bed?" The nurse that had accompanied the two youngest chipmunks to the room spoke up. Alvin swiftly turned around, perhaps too swiftly, as it caused a rather sharp pain to shoot through him. The pain went by ignored, however, when Alvin saw his youngest brother standing in the doorway.

Within a split second Alvin had Theodore in a bone crushing hug. Theodore hugged back gently, not wanting to hurt his brother.

"Mr. Seville, please don't over-exert yourself. You shouldn't even be out of bed." Alvin further ignored his pain and the nurse's pleas, focusing fully on seeing his baby brother again. When he pulled back from the hug both Eleanor and the nurse were gone.

Without a word, Theodore guided his brother back to the bed. Both of them sat down, still wordless. Neither of them knew what to say. They both wanted to attempt and catch up, but with all that was going on, it seemed pointless. Alvin was the first to finally speak.

"So have you seen Simon yet?"

"No..." Theodore responded sadly. "I-is he..okay?"

"I haven't seen him in an hour." Alvin looked out the window. "I've been having this feeling since he left the room...that something's..." He cringed. "wrong.."

* * *

**Hope there are no errors, I didn't feel like reading over this. xD Thanks for reading!**


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: I think this is the shortest chapter yet, but I wanted to get this story updated today. Why? Well, today marks the five month anniversary for this story! I started it exactly five months ago today. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed and read for getting me this far. :) This chapter is also special for another reason. My longest story before this one was seven chapters, and this story is now twice that many and still ongoing. That's a big achievement for me! **

**Thank you for reading, and enjoy!**

* * *

Simon wasn't claustrophobic, but when he woke up, packed in a dark, small space with his body bent into an unnatural position, he couldn't help but panic and feel as though the 'walls' were closing in on him.

Where was he? What was this...a..a suitcase? It felt like a suitcase. It took all of his willpower not to let his instincts get the better of him and cause him to struggle and attempt to break free of this prison. Instead, he waited in silence.

It seemed like hours since he awoke. Still, he was silent. He was finding it increasingly difficult to breathe in the small area, but he stayed still anyway. By this time he had figured out that he was no longer moving and being dragged around on the suitcases wheels. He had no idea what to do, nor did he have a clue what was going to happen to him. All he could do..was wait.

* * *

The constant questions Alvin was being asked were getting more and more upsetting for the young chipmunk. He knew there was no way for him to charm his way out of this situation, but he still attempted to do so. It caused him to be faced with tons of dirty looks from the policemen that barged into his room during several hours of the day.

The days grew longer and longer. It had been three days since anyone had seen Simon, and essentially they were back at square one. Theodore had been staying with The Chipettes, but most of his time was spent at the hospital with his older brother.

The two of them had grown closer than they had ever been before. They would sit there in Alvin's hospital room and just talk for hours. That is, when they weren't attempting to figure out where Simon had gone off to.

The police were looking for Lillian DeVille, but so far had found no clues of her whereabouts. It was like she had completely disappeared from the face of the Earth, and had taken Simon along with her.

* * *

Jeanette had long forgotten what sleep was. She hadn't even come near her bed since the day Simon disappeared. Everything was happening so fast. She didn't understand how it was possible that the police hadn't found a single clue that pointed to Lillian's whereabouts.

She had a feeling they weren't even trying. She knew it was insane and a terrible mindset, but she couldn't help but think that the police were working against them and were on that dreadful woman's side throughout this entire event.

* * *

By the time Simon heard a single sound from outside his tiny prison, he had started to doze off. He didn't know how long he'd been in there, but he had a feeling it had been far longer than 24 hours. He was honestly surprised he could still breathe inside of this accursed thing.

The sound he heard was the dreaded sound of high-heels clacking against a hardwood floor. He'd heard the sound many times throughout the past few years, and he always dreaded when it came. This time the footsteps sounded far angrier than they had ever sounded before.

The sound of a zipper being unzipped came next. The sound reached his ears rather slowly, as if the person that was causing it was taking their sweet time in releasing him from the inside of the terrible object he had been put in.

The light reaching his eyes was quite painful, and it made him assume his sensitive eyes hadn't seen anything but darkness for days on end. The thought of that scared him, and made him wonder just how long he had been away from his family _this _time.

The face that he saw when the light entered his vision was the one he expected to see, but also the one he wanted more than anything to forget.

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**Thanks for reading!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note: Hello! I'm so sorry it's been so long since I've updated, I've just been struggling over what to write in this story. I wasn't sure what to make happen next. Sorry to disappoint, but this is the _very _brief final chapter. This is the end, and it's a terrible ending that I'm ashamed to have written. **

**Some of you may be pissed at me, but this IS the end. There will be no more. Please try to enjoy.  
**

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"I can't fucking take this anymore!" Alvin banged his fist on the little tray that sat in his lap, causing the little carton of orange juice that sat there to fly up in the air and be conveniently caught by his younger brother. The food that also shared the place on the tray was helpless to be saved, however, and scattered itself all over the clean white hospital sheets. Alvin glared down at it angrily. "It's like they're not even looking..."

"T-they're looking, Alvin..." Theodore bit his lip, looking away from his angry brother. "They just...don't know where to look."

"Don't lie to yourself, Theodore. Think about it. That bitch is rich as hell, she could _pay _the police to pretend to look but not actually find her."

"They wouldn't do that..." Theodore felt himself shaking, almost dropping the orange juice he was holding in his hands.

"Some people are just that twisted." Alvin sighed angrily and turned on the television, expecting to hear more bogus news about how hopeless it was to find his brother.

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_"We have more news on the story of the teenage boy that was taken by his adoptive mother when his biological brother murdered his father, tried to kidnap him, and tore their family apart." _

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Theodore's eyes widened. He was terrified to look over at Alvin and see his reaction to the 'news'. It took him nearly a minute to turn his head towards his brother.

By the time he did, Alvin was at the window.

"A-Alvin..w-what are you doing?"

"What does it look like?! I'm going to look for Simon!" Alvin pushed at the window with all his might, until it eventually opened.

"B-but..Alvin! You're hurt! A-and you killed somebody!" Alvin turned and stared back at him in silence.

"Theodore..." He sighed, glancing out the open window. "If I don't come back, I love you. Tell Brittany that, too." With that he climbed out the window, not even bothering to express the pain it caused him.

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Theodore ran over to the window, looking down after his stubborn older brother. This was the part where Simon would fuss at Alvin over how irrational his decisions were, and tell him to get back in his bed. This was the part where Simon would follow after Alvin after he didn't listen to him, causing Theodore to follow after the two of them because he was scared to have neither of his brothers with him.

Theodore felt the tears rolling down his cheeks, and he felt a feeling in his heart. A terrible feeling that had plagued him ever since the first moment he had heard about the situation his brothers were in. He had tried lying to himself. He told himself everything was going to be fine...even he wasn't that naive.

_There was no way for this story to have a happy ending._

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**The End. This story is open ended. The end is up to you! Thank you all SO much for putting up with my slow updating and everything for so long, this story is the most successful story I've ever written and it makes me extremely happy that so many people enjoyed it. Thank you. ****  
**


	16. Author's Note

**Author's Note: **

Due to the mass amount of negative reviews I have received for the _final_(and when I say final, I mean final) chapter of this story I want to let my reviewers and readers know something: This is done. It's finished, and it _is _complete. You can hate me for it all you want to, I hate myself for it too. I'm sorry, but I can't do it anymore. I've been through an extreme amount of stress trying to figure out how to end this, and when I finally figure out how to all I get is bashing for it.

This is the end, it's how I want it to end. Get over it. There is _absolutely nothing _that I can make happen that will make it possible to give this story an end at all without it running a ton more chapters, which I don't want. I want to get _away _from this story. I'm tired of it, I don't want to write it anymore. Ever. I've shot down a million ideas for stories I've had because I didn't want to work on two in progress stories at the same time. Now they're all gone because I pushed myself so hard to finish this that I forgot them.

I'm sorry if you're disappointed, but at least I didn't leave the story with no ending. I ended it as best I could, and if you hate the ending, I'm sorry. I tried.

**EDIT: **Also, even more annoying than the negative reviews is people asking if I would consider putting this story up for adoption or saying that I should. I started fuming when I got a review saying that the first time. Never have I meant these words more than I do right now: HELL no. Why would I let someone else who didn't have the same vision I had take over and butcher my story? I get so annoyed when authors do that, I'd rather read a story with no ending at all than read something the original author didn't write. That is all.


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